Blog Posts

  • What’s Making Me Happy: Week #49

    Julien Baker For me, a truly great live performance isn’t a matter of theatrics, fancy light shows, or “showmanship.”  It’s about genuine, raw emotion that’s powerful enough to transmit across the crowd. And when this is done with enough intensity, you get goose-bump moments. I’ve been excited to see Julien Baker perform live because I Read more

  • What’s Making Me Happy: Week #44

    Dia De Los Muertos I went out one night this week to see a local band I’d heard was playing but didn’t realize they were performing as part of a Day of the Dead celebration. Found myself dropped into a room full of costumed revelers (combined with Portland hipsters) and a wonderful mix of Latin-American Read more

  • What’s Making Me Happy & Sad: Week #40

    Full Moon Fever This album hit when I was 16 years old and working hard to hate anything mainstream or commercial. But there was no avoiding Tom Petty’s gift as a rock n roll master and I will argue to this day the merits of Full Moon Fever for best rock album of all time. Read more

  • What’s Making Me Happy: Week #21

    If We Were Vampires Jason Isbell continues to give Jeff Tweedy and Neko Case a run for their money as my generation’s best song writer.  Jason just released another single for his upcoming album and I’ve been binge-listening to it all this week.  I’ve written in this blog before about my predilection for sad songs, Read more

  • Best Music of 2016 – Part 2

    Alright, it’s time to wrap up 2016 and get on with life.  Here are my 10 favorite songs from the year and I’ll include a link to my Best of 2016 Spotify playlist.  Rock on.   FAVORITE SONGS OF 2016 DJ Shadow (feat. Run the Jewels), “Nobody Speak” – This song grabbed me with the Read more

  • Best Music of 2016 – Part 1

    There’s lots of talk about 2016 being a tough year, a strange year – a year full of drama, tension, uncertainty, frustration… sounds a lot like my teenage years.  And one thing I did as a teenager was look for comfort and identity in music.  I’d say I did quite a bit of that in Read more